Sixteen-year-old rookie Caden Dudney made his professional debut inside AT&T Stadium in Arlongton, Texas. He qualified fourth overall and then finished fourth in his heat race. But he was caught up in a first turn yard sale of a crash with teammates Nate Thrasher and Cole Davies in the main event and forced to work his way up. He charged back to finish 13th in his first ever professional 250SX main event.
Not the result the Texan was exactly for, Dudney was still able to display the speed and talent required to be a front runner in the 2026 250SX East Division title chase. Also, an SMX Next main event winner in 2026—Dudney scored the race win at the Houston Supercross—Dudney has positioned himself as championship contender in the 250SX East Division.
With the Arlington 250SX East opening round now and rookie SX debut behind him, Dudney felt positive about his performance in the Lone Star State.
“I’d say that I actually feel really good about it,” said Dudney. “I feel like a lot of people thought I wouldn’t do great. I mean last weekend I know I could have done way better, but obviously a first turn crash made it tough to get back up there. Hopefully I get a better start this weekend. It’s all good. I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be with these guys. Yeah, I feel comfortable and good and ready to go. It all feels really good. I don’t have one thing to complain about. I’m enjoying it.
“I felt pretty good in Texas,” furthered Dudney. “I was just excited to be there. It was basically my hometown crowd. Right before the main event, I looked up and I could just see the packed stadium. It was just really cool. It was so surreal. You can’t really describe how you really feel. You have to experience it to understand. That was definitely special and just awesome to experience.”
Dudney pointed out that the two 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship rounds he participated in Unadilla and Budds Creek last August have helped him get up to speed in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
“The two outdoor races that I did last year definitely helped a lot,” said Dudney. “Even last year, I felt comfortable. I didn’t feel nervous or anything like that. I felt like I was where I was supposed to be. I felt good at Arlington. I did learn a lot from the guys, and I did learn a lot from those two races. It did a help a lot in understanding what the guys race like and how aggressive you have to be and all that stuff. I’m glad I did that.”
Less than a handful of races into his professional racing career, Dudney has felt comfortable and very much at home within the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing organization.
“They are pretty happy,” commented Dudney. “I just want to go ride and have fun and obviously put in a 100-percent effort every time I go out. I’ve always done that. They haven’t really had to say anything because I’m pretty hard on myself. If something isn’t great, I’m going to be the first to tell myself that I need to do better. They haven’t really said much. Just go out there and just ride and just learn. This year is all learning. There aren’t really any expectations. I’m there to just soak it all in and come out swinging next year for supercross. I just want to take what I earn this year and put into next year and be ready. I have learned a lot more than what I did in the first two SMX Next rounds. Just that one pro race in Arlington, I learned a lot more than I ever have. I didn’t think I’d learn that much more. I was learning pretty simple stuff. Sometimes you don’t always realize that simple stuff until you are in that moment. I’m learning to be a little bit more aggressive and a little bit more patient on the first lap. In the heat race last weekend, I was behind Cole Davies, and I was in second gear instead of first gear before the whoops and that three-in jump and I just cased it. I just need to slow down the first few laps a little bit and just be calm and then more aggressive on passing in the main event.
“I know I have the speed to definitely be in the top five,” he continued. “It all comes down to the start and then once you get a start, it’s game on. I like being the new guy out there. It’s exciting. I have all these people that I’ve never met in my life come up to me and tell me that they’re excited to see me out there and to watch me race. They give me fist bumps and stuff. It’s just awesome. I enjoy it, for sure. I love having fans that are out there just cheering me on. that means a lot to me to have fans like that.”
Dudney said after Daytona:
“I felt qualifying was better this weekend. I also finished better than I did last weekend, so that's another positive. I just have to figure out the heat race, which will get me a better gate pick, and I should have a better main. A lot of positives take away from it again, and I’m going to learn from my mistakes and apply it next weekend.”
Now, the rookie will get his first taste of Triple Crown racing this weekend at the Indianapolis Supercross at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indiana.
